Once the home of the Principal Lighthouse Keeper on Davaar Island, The Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage has been converted into a luxury 2 bedroom cottage. Located in one of the most secluded parts of Scotland, Davaar Island provides a spectacular setting for a tranquil rural retreat.
The cosy and welcoming interior combined with sweeping ocean views makes the cottage a perfect option for those looking for a getaway completely removed from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Spend your days exploring the island before curling up in the reading room or in front of the log burning stove with a complimentary gin or whisky.
The cosy cottage makes fantastic accommodation at any time of year thanks to the top-of-the-range insulation and heating throughout. To keep you snug during the colder months, you’ll be provided with an endless supply of wood for the log burning stove and there’s an electric blankets for all of the beds.
The kitchen and living room are open plan creating a relaxed space to enjoy evenings in with delicious food and a favourite film on the TV. There’s also a study on the ground floor complete with a beautiful bureau, and a reading area, perfect for lazy afternoons with a good book. Upstairs, the king-sized bedroom and further twin room await with luxurious bedding and an ensuite shower room.
On clear nights, you might want to venture outside to the private garden area which has a fire pit. Rugs are provided to keep you warm and you’ll be captivated by the night’s sky in all its glory away from any light pollution.
There is a fantastic variety of walks on and around the island with the highest point of the island (trig point), the cave painting, exploring the caves and shoreline and so forth. There is also sea-fishing off variety of points on the island. Swimming and snorkeling is fantastic due to the water clarity and a wealth of marine life. We supply a lobster pot with the cottage and we can advise you on where best to try catching your own crab, lobster or prawns (as well as any help with cooking if you do!). There are also mussels and cockles readily available on the causeway so this is a foragers heaven!
Dogs are welcome – but not in bedrooms/upstairs. Please keep dogs on leads near livestock. We have a £25 pet surcharge (per pet).
The Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage provides the perfect opportunity to unwind, lie back and enjoy the view. However, there is a whole host of activities in the local area. Hop on a ferry and explore the Western Isles. Gigha, Islay and Arran are all easily reached. The cottage is also located just 15 minutes from some of the most beautiful beaches in Scotland. Whether you’d rather visit the whisky distilleries in Campbeltown or try your hand at a spot of sea fishing, there’s something to suit everyone.
The well equipped open plan kitchen has all of the modern conveniences, including a dishwasher, espresso machine, microwave, fridge and also a further stand alone freezer. Good quality and ample kitchen utensils and equipment make cooking a pleasure and a handy supply of kitchen essentials are provided including bin bags, dishwasher tablets, salt & pepper, cooking oils, tea and coffee, cling film, tin foil etc.
High speed satellite wifi works throughout the building.
Complimentary tea, coffee and drinks await guests on arrival including the famous local Springbank Whisky & Kintyre Gin.
Caretakers Ned and Toni live on the island, tucked around the corner in the end building of the compound house and are on hand to provide any assistance guests may require, whilst ensuring complete privacy. Ned and Toni keep chickens in the Lighthouse compound and also own three very friendly collies (Binley, Dudley and Nellie).
Dogs are welcome on Davaar and there is a £25 pet surcharge (maximum of 2 pets). Please be aware that there are wild goats and sheep roaming as well as some very steep cliffs so if there is any risk that your dog may chase livestock then we ask you keep it on a lead.
The Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage consistently receives 5* reviews – some of which you can read on our own website.
We look forward to welcoming you here to this very unique place. Davaar Island forms part of Kildalloig Estate, a working hill farm. Spread over approx 4,000 acres the estate encompasses over 1 mile of coastline and beaches and rises gradually to about 1,200 feet at its highest point, from where there are many vantage points enjoying panoramic views over the sea to the highlands and islands beyond. The farm is a family-run business and our organic breeding stock includes Aberdeen Angus and Luing cattle as well as pedigree registered Blueface Leicester, Blackface and North Ronaldsay sheep.
As well as being organic, Kildalloig Estate aims to be ecologically sustainable and encourages guests where possible to use best practice in terms of water use and detergents. We have a 20kw wind turbine which provides electricity to power the farm and water for all of the cottages comes from natural springs in the surrounding hills.
Davaar Island is just 3 miles directly south of Campbeltown on the Mull of Kintyre – one of Scotland’s most secluded spots. The journey to reach the cottages on the island makes a beautiful trip itself – with the Dhorlin (causeway) exposed twice a day at low tide.
On the mainland we have a parking area where you can leave your car and we will transport you and your luggage across by 4×4. On booking we will advise on best crossing times. Guests can also consult the BBC tide times webpage for Campbeltown which gives the tide times for the week ahead and is helpful for planning your stay. For longer term tide times the ‘Visit My Harbour‘ website is also a useful reference. Or you can simply email us if you need any further advice or have any questions at all about the journey.
As a general guide, it is safe to walk 3 hours either side of the low tide.
Finally, please be aware that we may have other guests and changeovers to manage so we will advise on all transfer times. Timings must be adhered to for everyone’s safety and enjoyment.
Many of our guests find that Davaar Island retains a remoteness and sense of space that can be hard to find elsewhere – we hope you agree! We very much hope to welcome you to The Lighthouse Cottage.
*Please note that due to being on a private water supply we ask guests to conserve water where possible – to which end, there is no washing machine in the cottage. Toni is very happy to do any ’emergency’ washing for guests if required.